Two guilty verdicts are handed down and a guilty plea is entered in Montréal

March 1st, 2011

Québec, March 1st, 2011 – Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, wishes to inform the public that two guilty verdicts were handed down and that a guilty plea was entered in the Montréal region in cases involving violations of the Election Act.

In Montréal, Nathalie Larocque-Talbot, in her capacity as official agent of Nathalie Rivard, candidate for the Québec Liberal Party in the December 8, 2008 election in the electoral division of Rosemont, committed two violations of the Election Act concerning the election expenses of the candidate. First, Ms. Larocque-Talbot failed to file supporting documents for election expenses appearing in the return of election expenses as stipulated in the second paragraph of section 432 of the Election Act. Moreover, she made a false declaration to the effect that the expenses entered in the return of election expenses had been paid in accordance with the requirements of the Act.

At the end of the hearing by default held last November 8th, the offender was found guilty of the charges brought against her. The judge ordered her to pay fines totaling more than $1,500, plus expenses.

The offence consisting of falsely declaring that the election expenses had been paid in accordance with the Act constitutes a corrupt electoral practice. Consequently, Ms. Nathalie Larocque-Talbot is deprived of her election rights for a five-year period at all electoral levels.

Still in Montréal, Mr. Paolo Catania made a contribution in 2005 to the Québec Liberal Party beyond the authorized limit of $3,000 per calendar year.

On April 29, 2010, Mr. Catania pleaded guilty to the offence but contested the penalty sought, which totaled $1,300.

Last December 9th, Mr. Catania filed at the Office of the Clerk of Québec Court a form waiving the contestation of the penalty sought. He also paid the fine of $1,300, plus expenses claimed by the Chief Electoral Officer.